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I had a ghost writing client some years back who was a highly successful motivational speaker. She had all the accouterments that came from earning
the big bucks: a house in Malibu, Italian bedding that felt like heaven, a closetful of designer clothes, and a recurring infomercial that lured
a large audience of followers on a steady basis. She had hired me to help her write her umpteenth book that would most likely be yet another bestseller.

Back in the sixties and seventies, my friends and I were activists. Granted, we did too many drugs and went on strange cleansing rituals. We had lots
of sex didn't take precautions, but we were there for each other. We always had a place to be on Saturday night as we welcomed friends to our homes
and made sure everyone was okay.

There were divisions between the Establishment and free thinking hippies who were breaking free of convention. But we were ready to stand up for what
we believed and we were capable of anger-free debates. We listened to each other and cared what the other person had to say. We weren’t always
in synch, but we didn't go on shooting sprees in schools. We didn’t physically attack each other with the exception of frightened, angry cops.
Instead, we were as gentle and loving as we could manage. We wanted to achieve peace in the world without rage and violence

Back then, our heroes were Mahatma Ghandi and Martin Luther King. Our teachers were John Lily and Timothy Leary. Our philosophers were Bob Dylan and
Jimi Hendrix. We staged peaceful rock concerts for the masses and we danced and sang with each other. We recognized our divisions but we tried
to share our ideas in a peaceful way. We thought not only of ourselves; we considered the feelings of others as we held onto our vision of a loving
world. We were dedicated to doing our part and we got out in the streets and exercised our right to free speech. In that way, we didchange
the world for the better as we tried our best to be inclusive and compassionate.

But this doesn't seem to be the case anymore. I’ve found myself in groups of people lately who would rather voice their anger and complaints than try
to understand each other. People who didn't bother to vote feel righteous and entitled to hoist their opinions on others. There are screaming debates
about right and wrong. People are shunned who believe differently than we do. The plight of the less fortunate has become less important than taking
selfies and amassing huge numbers of followers on social media. It’s all about “me, me, me” with very little “you.” Its appears that people would
rather throw insults and blame on each other than try to figure out how we can all get along. My hope is with the kids in Florida who are standing
up peacefully and protesting for what is right.

My point here is that if you’re unhappy, put down your phone and do something. Stop the hatred and isolation and let’s put our heads together to solve
our problems. We need to remember our vision of a peaceful world. It won't just come. It will take participation and listening if we want things
to change. Remember the sixties if you were there. If not, do some research and learn from the philosophies and actions that we took back then.
If you know what to do, get out there and do it. If you don't know what to do, start by being kind to the people around you. It’s that simple.
But please don't sit around complaining and blaming everyone else. If you’re not willing to take action and back up your beliefs, if you're not
willing to get off the pot and do something, stop talking, fighting, and pointing a finger at everyone else. Taking any kind of helpful action
is key. We have to do something to make a change. But in order to change the status quo, it's not only what we do that matters the most. Rather
it’s also what we don't do that makes a world of difference.

I recently ended a writing project and returned the payment. Repaying someone is kind of painful but this time, it wasn’t. I had taken on something that
didn’t work for me and I felt a wild sense of freedom when I let it go. I can’t say that I didn't get advance warning. My instincts were shouting “no”
while my mouth was forming the word “yes.” Instead of getting the message that this man’s book was not for me, I stomped on my gut feelings and tried
to override them. It didn’t work, it never does, and I had to suffer the consequences of taking on a job that was destined to end up awkwardly with
bad feelings all around.

When I met my current trainer, I hadn't been working out as much as usual. With my background in the ballet, I don't do well when I get stagnant but I
couldn't seem to zone in on any type of exercise that made me want to come back for more. I was seeing a man back then who invited me to his workout
session with a wonderful man named Orlando. It didn't take me long to realize how educated and skilled he was with anything pertaining to the human
body. I knew right then and there that I would continue working out with him as long as I could. I can’t say the same for the jerk who introduced us,
but I have him to thank for the introduction to my next trainer.

I was at a party recently where two female hosts had invited their friends. One of them was in the film business. The other was an energy healer and body
worker who had been part of a famous ashram. The idea of the gathering was to merge the groups so they could meet each other and discuss what they
had in common and what they didn’t. When I arrived, about 50 people were gathered in the show biz woman’s magnificent backyard. She’d recently divorced
a philandering husband, he’d been having a secret affair for twenty years, and divorce had been very good to her. And so it should have been.

When I think back over six decades, there have been plenty of troubled times. There was Viet Nam, the draft, Watergate, and assassinations of beloved political
and religious leaders. There was and still is poverty, violence, child abuse, torture, and people fleeing their homes and their countries to win their
freedom,. The list goes on and on, but our current situation of having a President who doesn't read, has a face for radio, and pardons criminals who
are guilty as sin, is unprecedented.

Did you ever get a tune stuck in your head that you can't get rid of? It’s a Small Worldin Disneyland comes to mind. I dread hearing that song
and even as I write this blog, I can feel it trying to take root in my brain. When I hear the ad for JG Wentworth on TV, I try to hit the mute button
before they start singing so I can avoid repeating it to myself all day. This is a form of obsession, a pattern of thinking perpetrated by an idea
that seems to affect you against your will. When you hear these short ditties, they bombard your brain and you start repeating them over and over.
That’s called good advertising, exactly what the marketers want. They want their product embedded in your brain and a catchy tune is a great way to
do it. The ads are harmless in the long run, but there are other forms of obsessions that are harmful and can make your life a living hell.

When I think of bullying, I envision a kid at school taunting other kids. Maybe his name sounds strange. I remember a kid in my elementary school whose
last name was Tushman and the kids called him “tushie” any chance they had.

I recently binged a Netflix series called Wild Wild Country about Indian guru Baghwan Shree Rajneesh or Osho. This cult (they balk at this label) of thousands
took over a city in Oregon, acting with hostility to the residents of this previously sleepy town. It was shocking that Baghwan amassed wealth in the
form of seventeen Rolls Royces and a huge collection of fine watches, including a gift of a million dollar diamond studded Rolex. I kid you not. All
the while, his supposed spiritual aides engaged in criminal activity like poisoning and attempted murder.

I know a poetry teacher who encourages his students to submit their poetry to as many magazines as possible. Getting published is not the reason. “I want
you to get used to being rejected,” he explained.